3 Simple Ways to make a Brand’s Video Marketing Stand Out

Cinema and film making is a nascent art form. It is just a tad above 100 years old. Compared to other arts such as literature, painting and music, cinema is a toddler. And because of the urgent developments in technology, cinema has veered towards being commercial in no time. It is hard to infer where this commercialization of an art form will lead to in the future but for the now, it is lucrative and mighty effective.

The idea of spending lakhs of rupees / millions of dollars on creating videos seems daunting to most brands and startups. Many seek return of investment in terms of sales volumes or eyeballs. But these parameters are skewed towards an archaic marketing strategy which measured everything in numbers. The new era demands connections, loyalties and above all, honesty. Videos play an essential role in reaching out to the stakeholders and maintaining an honest relationship with them. In this short read, I try to list a few qualities of the video creation process that inform a brand’s, a person’s or an event’s video making exercise.

3 Simple Ways to make a Brand’s Video Marketing Stand Out

1. Videos Do Not Have a Use-by Date

Like any other digital marketing initiative, video production and upload is also an on-going process. The moment you slack off on releasing the ‘content’ is the moment the viewers lose interest. But the silver lining to this is that videos are relevant for a much longer period than any other marketing effort. And their meaning evolves with the passing of time.

RuralShores, India’s biggest rural BPO wanted to make a video that showcased their facilities, legacy and the goodness. With over 20 centres across India, the task of assimilating and capturing the nuances was a costly affair. We narrowed it down to 4 centres covering the 4 quadrants of the country and went minimal. A crew of 2 with a basic camera, light and sound setup went on a mobile journey to complete the task in a fortnight. What came out was this:

Now, this isn’t the most sophisticated video out there but it drives home the point. Having released this in September, the video has now been screened at various offline, on-ground events that RuralShores participated in. It has caught eyeballs without going viral. The same video (albeit shortened to fulfill the criteria) is also participating in an awards competition for social enterprises. Fingers crossed!

2. Collaborate. Collaborate. Collaborate.

While many of our clients are looking for ways to cut down on production costs, we are constantly on the lookout for newer, fresher ways of collaborating. Even before the days of demonitization and GST, we were basking in the glory of barters. Barters are a good way to start a collaboration. They do not put a financial burden on any business and firmly put professional relationships in order, one way or the other. This encourages brands to be more hands on in the creative process of writing a script for the video and the novelty of the situation itself lends to a more fuller and candid conversation between the producers and the creators. A win-win, if ever there was one!

Living Green Organics wanted to market their product – Rooftop Organic Vegetable Gardens. We assisted them in building a short video that uses their own resources and locations. The children got a chance to act in front of the camera and we got a rooftop full of healthy vegetables in return. A good and green deal I dare say.

3. DIY Anyone?

Many a times we are asked to create something ‘out-of-the-box’, something that is edgy, new, not-of-this-world. And almost all the time, we are asked to do so by being innovative, using resources carefully and being ingenious. In other words, by working with less than low budgets. Startups, for-good organizations and passionate people in general have it tough. They do not have money to throw around while running a business ground-up. But they need those eyeballs too! The solution? Do-It-Yourself.

With technologies having made the process democratic and personal, making videos is a simple task now. Take The Wishing Chair, for example. They upload loads of content on their social profiles on a daily basis. And all of it made in house. Their trick? They make it themselves using a good phone camera and a basic touch up app. They make short stop motions, post some really vibrant photos and keep their loyalists engaged with conversations around their new products and their universe.

A dedicated intern could do the job. An artist looking for pocket money could do it. A kid in the family might take it on as a creative project. Or even a film production crew like ours could ‘lease out’ apprentices on a minimum wage barter.

The benefits of high level of engagement that videos attract is not lost on anyone. They are by far the most powerful medium to catch the public’s eye. The process of creating one however seems cryptic to many. Hope this read gives you an insight into the possibilities of video creation that are waiting to be explored further. And how easy and frugal it is to make one.

CoUP is a young enterprise looking to work with good businesses and better people. We strive to create stories that engage and inspire. For any concerns, queries and opportunities please feel free to drop in a mail at [email protected] or call at 9910002680. Here is a show reel that condenses our works and passions :